


When the Night is Long

by Dionte



Series: Chosen Week 2019 [5]
Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fireflies, Forgiveness, Post-Betrayal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-08 22:42:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17395064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dionte/pseuds/Dionte
Summary: After he'd betrayed the party and they'd accepted him back among their ranks, Zelos felt conflicted. A night with the one he thought he'd hurt the most is enough to change that.For Chosen Week 2019, Day 5: Fireflies





	When the Night is Long

“Zelos? Hey, Zelos, are you awake?”

 

He had been lounging on his mat when the question was asked. A blonde head peeked into his tent, and he couldn’t help but think it weird that Colette of all people was looking for him.

 

“Hey, little angel. Yeah, I’m awake. What’s up?”

 

A grin lit up her face at the answer, “I want to show you something. Come on!”

 

And she was gone.

 

What the hell?

 

Zelos got up, stretching the kinks out of his back. Surely they could have gone to Altessa’s place overnight while Sheena had the ceremony, right? They didn’t have to camp outside Mizuho, this was miserable.

 

Though, priorities. Colette was acting a little bit funky. He just… He didn’t want to be alone with her. Colette was the one he’d hurt most with his betrayal, after all.

 

At the same time, it was night. The others were asleep. They were in the wilderness. So his personal preference be damned, he wasn’t gonna let her get attacked by some random monster right now.

 

When he exited his tent, a hand clamped around his wrist and dragged him away. Colette, obviously, but he was feeling more and more uncomfortable with the whole thing. When they stopped, he could hear the sound of a river nearby.

 

“Yo, Colette, why are we out here?”

 

“Wait just a second… There!”

 

She was pointing, and he saw something glow. He cocked his head to the side, and it disappeared. Another one appeared near them, and he looked around wildly. There were a lot of these glowing specks flying around.

 

He turned to Colette. “What are they?”

 

She smiled. “Fireflies! I’ve never seen them before either, but I was so excited I wanted to show you!”

 

Zelos felt his stomach knot up. He was pleased, sure, but… He didn’t deserve this. And he was sure that she’d only chosen him because he was actually awake. Surely what she’d really wanted was to show this to Lloyd.

 

“... What about Lloyd?”

 

Colette looked at him, confusion on her features.

 

“You sure you didn’t want to show this to Lloyd?”

 

She looked sad for a moment, before looking back at the fireflies. “Yeah. Lloyd and Genis used to look at them near Lloyd’s house all the time. But since I couldn’t leave the village, I never got to see them. A-and, um, I’m sorry. I just wanted to see them with someone else who might not have.”

 

“So you thought I’d never seen fireflies before?”

 

Colette’s eyes were wide. “You have, too?”

 

Zelos smirked. “Nah, you’re right on that one. Betcha Regal hasn’t seen ‘em either though.”

 

“Oh yeah! That’s probably true. But he’s asleep right now, and he always wakes up so early. I didn’t want to bother him.”

 

Zelos shrugged. True enough. They sat there, watching the fireflies in a comfortable silence. Or at least it was comfortable until Zelos was reminded, yet again, of what he’d done. How he didn’t deserve to be here.

 

Perhaps Colette noticed, because her next words were a questioning, “Zelos, are you alright?”

 

Normally he’d reply with a flippant remark and trademark grin, but for some reason he couldn’t. He didn’t want to.

 

“Hey, Colette?”

 

“... Yeah?”

 

“How can you do that?”

 

“H-huh?”

 

“How can you smile at me, even after I betrayed you?”

 

The clearing was quiet once again. Colette seemed to really be thinking about the question, and eventually she simply sighed.

 

“I guess it’s just because I’ve forgiven you.”

 

Zelos twirled to face her. “How?”

 

“H-how? I just did. I mean, I was scared at the time, but I can’t hold it against you. It was the only way to get the aionis, right?”

 

She was right, but still, he… “But I still betrayed you guys. I was never on your side from the start. You were almost lugged away so many times because of me!”

 

“Zelos…”

 

“And the Renegades always knew what we were up to! I put you guys in danger so many times, and yet-” He stopped. He didn’t know what to say.

 

“You know, Zelos… Isn’t it about time you forgave yourself?”

 

Zelos was frozen, rooted to the ground as Colette spoke.

 

“I don’t think you’re looking for my forgiveness. You already have it anyway. I think you’re looking for a reason to forgive yourself. I know it’s easier to blame yourself- I do it all the time, so I understand, but you need to learn that it’s okay to be selfish sometimes.”

 

“I dunno, I’ve heard that I’m already pretty selfish.”

 

Colette chuckled, “I guess.”

 

“Hey, Colette?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“I’m sorry, and thanks.”

 

Colette smiled at him again, and they stayed up late into the night, talking and dancing among the fireflies.


End file.
